Braille and Talking Book Library, Sacramento

We're announcing this on behalf of our friends at the Talking Book and Braille Center in San Francisco. They are hosting a fantastic Descriptive Art Lecture this upcoming Monday! Information below: Program Title: Descriptive Art Lecture: Wangechi Mutu: I Am Speaking, Are You Listening? Program Description: You are invited to witness a cultural exchange hundreds of years in the making. Wangechi Mutu: I Am Speaking, Are You Listening? is a powerful exhibition currently at the... Legion of Honor. This talk, specifically designed for people who are blind or have low vision, will introduce you to Wangechi Mutu and her art. The Kenyan American artist’s work is installed throughout the Legion’s galleries to create a dialogue with the centuries-old objects in the museum’s collections. You will hear how these provocative pairings challenge long-established ideas about race, gender, and colonialism. Don’t miss this thought-provoking talk about a profound and deeply moving art experience. Presented by Kathryn Zupsic with assistance from Sonia Gallant, both from the Access Office at the Legion of Honor, San Francisco. Program Date: Monday, October 18 at 1 pm Would you like more information, or the Zoom link? Please send an email to: [email protected]

Here's a neat webinar being offered today: Attending a Zoom Meeting on a PC With a Screen Reader Wednesday, October 13, 2021, from 10 am to 11 am PT... Recently, we learned that while many attend our weekly Zoom Presentations, a lot of people are doing this by calling or using the mobile app. This resulted in several requests for tips on attending Zoom presentations on a PC using a Screen Reader. Join Ian Ramos, Mark Schafer, and Zhi Huang from Access Ingenuity as they share tips and different methods on using a keyboard to quickly access popular features on the zoom desktop app. Learning Outcomes Explain the differences between the desktop app and web interface and the benefits of the desktop app while using screen readers. Discuss first time set up including downloading and installing app, first time prompts, and whether or not you need to sign in for different presentations. Explore different ways to navigate the interface with a keyboard including various hot keys to mute and unmute audio, mute and unmute video, raise and lower hand, work with chat, view users, start and stop recording, share screen, etc. Join Zoom Meeting: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89905943325 Meeting ID: 899 0594 3325 Passcode: 246915 One tap mobile +16699009128,,89905943325#,,,,*246915# US (San Jose) Dial by your location +1 669 900 9128 US (San Jose)

Announcements from the Lions Club! Announcing the 2021-22 Lions Club International Peace Essay Contest. Calling all visually impaired students ages 11-13 years old by November 15, 2021 to enter the Lions Clubs International Peace Essay contest. This international contest offers a grand prize of US$5000, and an opportunity to read the winning essay at the International Peace Day at the United Nations in New York in March 2022. ... After following a year of a global pandemic which saw all of us finding new ways to connect with friends, family, and business, the theme this year is We Are All Connected. Rules: The essay must be less than 500 words, submitted in English, typed in black ink and double spaced. For a complete list of the guidelines and the entry form, please visit www.lionsclubs.org and search Peace Essay Contest. All essays must be submitted by a sponsoring Lions Club by November 15, 2021.

We would like to share this great video and announcement about Joshua Miele, a blind Adaptive Technology Designer, who has won a 2021 MacArthur Fellowship to continue his work on creating greater access to digital information for the blind. https://www.macfound.org/fellows/class-of-2021/joshua-miele

Reminder! Please join us tomorrow at 12pm for a fun and lively conversation! This conversation is open to all BTBL patrons. We'll be discussing your experiences during the pandemic - the good, the challenging, and what new hobbies or activities you've picked up in the last year. To enter the meeting, call 1-669-900-6833 and then enter Meeting ID: 4155574253, or join us on Zoom at sfpl-org.zoom.us/j/4155574253.

BTBL Announces New Conversational Program Are you looking for a way to connect with others about your experiences of sheltering in place during the pandemic? Or are you just looking for a good conversation? Starting on Wednesday, March 10th, the BTBL of Northern California and the San Francisco Talking Books & Braille Center are co-hosting a new program: Sheltering In Place Conversations.... Initially hosted by San Francisco and designed to discuss personal experiences of city residents sheltering in place while blind, this program is being expanded to include all Northern California BTBL patrons. While initial conversations may still be concentrated on the pandemic experience, we plan to explore more general topics of interest, like music, food, hobbies, travel, recreation, and pets. Please join us on Wednesday, March 10th from 12pm-1:30pm and each 2nd Wednesday of the month thereafter (April 14th, May 12th, June 9th, etc.) To enter the meeting, call 1-669-900-6833 and then enter Meeting ID: 4155574253, or join us on Zoom at sfpl-org.zoom.us/j/4155574253.

Do you have a pre-literacy learner in your household? Check out this Playful Experiences with Pre-Literacy class from APH on March 10th! Class description: ... What do crazy ducks and frozen penguins have to do with braille instruction? Attend this webinar and learn how to use LEGO Braille Bricks with pre-reading students. Warning: Imagination hard at work! Register here: https://aph.zoom.us/webi/register/WN_jxQrNfKOSOmQnvnjs54j7Q

Are you a child or adult who loves to sing? Ever thought about joining a choir? The Sing for Serenity Choir Is an international, online choir composed of blind and visually impaired singers. We have members from six countriesthe United States, Canada, England, Germany, Ireland, and South Africa. Our Youth Division consists of singers under the age of 18, while our Adult Division permits those with a passion for music who exceed that age limit to participate as well. ... To learn more, visit: https://www.facebook.com/singforserenity/

Have you seen this fascinating program from '60 Minutes' about Matthew Whitaker, who is putting on a free, virtual concert for NLS on March 3rd at 5pm PST? Check it out! https://www.cbsnews.com//matthew-whitaker-blind-jazz-pian/

February is National Age-Related Macular Degeneration/Low Vision Awareness Month! Let's talk about what these conditions are. Macular degeneration causes loss in the center of the field of vision. In dry macular degeneration, the center of the retina deteriorates. With wet macular degeneration, leaky blood vessels grow under the retina.... Low vision can affect one or both eyes and be caused by aging, birth defects, injury or complications from disease. Macular degeneration and low vision are some of the reasons why patrons join our service for the 100,000+ free audio books, magazines, newspapers, and descriptive DVDs available in our collection at: btbl.ca.gov If you know someone with macular degeneration or low vision, will you take a moment to share this post with them?

Looking for something fun to do tomorrow? Check out this class tomorrow from our friends at the Andrew Heiskell BTBL in New York! Exploring Blogs and Articles with RSS Readers... Saturday February 13, 3:00 - 4:30 PM (EST) An RSS reader is a mobile or desktop app that lets you subscribe to news media and blogs so that you can build your own continuously updated reading list, full of the topics and voices that interest you most. This workshop will introduce you to options for accessible RSS feed readers, and get you started with finding RSS feeds you want to follow. https://nypl.zoom.us//register/tZcrdeChrTsiGNUP0WmacVaIj4z

What's the "Hoover Method"? Learn fun facts about the white cane for White Cane Day 2020. https://www.perkins.org//10-fascinating-facts-about-the-wh? Celebrated on October 15 of each year since 1964, White Cane Safety Day is a national observance in the United States celebrating the achievements of people who are blind or visually impaired and the important symbol of blindness and tool of independence, the white cane!

Get your Voter Information Guide on Digital Talking Book Format through the mail from the library!- https://mailchi.mp/library/voter-information-guide-g2020

Download your Voter Information Guide in Digital Talking Book Format - https://mailchi.mp/library/voter-information-guide-g2020

For each person who isn’t counted in the 2020 Census, neighborhoods could miss out on funding for critical public services. Don’t wait. Do it now.

Today is Get-Out-The-Count Day! - https://mailchi.mp/library/get-out-the-count-day

Don't forget to complete the Census! https://2020census.gov/ https://www.cnn.com//2020-census-field-collecti/index.html

With apologies for the last minute nature of this message, in our capacity as the Newsline California channel sponsor, the California State Library BTBL announces an online survey for users of the NFB Newsline service: "As part of our effort to optimize the NFB-NEWSLINE service, the National Federation of the Blind is partnering with Deloitte Consulting LLP to gather insights from subscribers on their preferences for accessing news media. It would be very helpful if you woul...d consider taking a brief ten-minute survey on your media consumption and use of NFB-NEWSLINE. All responses will remain anonymous, and no Personally Identifiable Information will be collected unless you voluntarily provide it. Access the survey at: http://sgiz.mobi/s3/nfbnewsline. The survey will be open through Wednesday, June 10, 2020. For more information contact: National Federation of the Blind | nfb.org | 866-504-7300 | [email protected] See more

Free Introduction to Braille Class Passing this along to all interested parties. If you or someone you know is interested in learning the braille code, there is an introductory class starting next Tuesday evening. Introduction to Braille Class... Tuesdays at 7:00 p.m. April 28th through May 19th via Zoom Learn the basics of the literary braille code including the alphabet, numbers, and basic punctuation. The course will be led by a certificated Teacher of the Visually Impaired and is intended for anyone who would like to learn about the braille code. The class is not affiliated with any agency and is not intended for anyone seeking a transcriber certification. The class materials are all available online. Participants should have access to a braillewriter or a computer with a free download of Perky Duck in order to practice writing. For more information or to register for the course, please e-mail the instructor at [email protected]. Once you are registered, you will receive the Zoom login information as well as links to the materials.

Notice to Our Patrons: Braille and Talking Book Library Closed Due to California Department of Public Health Coronavirus Recommendations The following message supercedes the notice sent out to BTBL Facebook subscribers on March 17. In response to recommendations made by the California Department of Public Health and as a precaution to help limit the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19), the California Braille and Talking Book Library is closed. Braille and talking book circulat...ion, telephone, and in-person services are temporarily suspended and all California State Library locations, including the BTBL 900 N Street location, are closed to the public. BTBL staff are teleworking and limited services are available through email. Requests may be submitted via [email protected] Monday through Friday, 8:00AM to 5:00 PM. Since the library is unable to circulate new books, patrons are encouraged to hold on to their books and will not be penalized for late returns. The BARD or Braille and Audio Reading Download site is active and patrons are encouraged to download books and magazines for playback on the Talking Book Machine or their own third party devices, smart phones, and tablets. Applications for new BARD accounts are being processed daily. For more information please go to our web site: btbl.ca.gov The California State Library is constantly monitoring this evolving situation and will make changes as necessary as new information becomes available. You may check the CSL web site for any updates at www.library.ca.gov/coved-19 . Thank you for your patience and understanding. BTBL Staff

Update [this message augments the message we published yesterday on March 16, 2020] Notice to Our Patrons: Braille and Talking Book Library Services Continue, Facility Closed to the Public As of Monday, March 16, 2020, in response to recommendations made by the California Department of Public Health and as a precaution to help limit the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19), the California Braille and Talking Book Library is closed to the public. In-person services are temporaril...y suspended and all California State Library locations, including the BTBL 900 N Street location, are closed to the public and volunteers. BTBL staff are at work and Braille and Talking Book circulation, telephone, and email reference services are still available, and requests may be submitted via [email protected] or 800-952-5666 Monday through Friday, 9:30AM to 4:00 PM. Returned books and equipment are being isolated for 7 days to prevent the spread of COVID-19, which may cause some delays to some patrons expecting books by U.S. Mail via the Free Matter for the Blind postal program. Patrons will not be penalized in any way for keeping checked out materials for an additional two to three weeks but that decision is purely optional. The BARD or Braille and Audio Reading Download site is active and patrons are encouraged to download books and magazines for playback on the Talking Book Machine or their own third party devices, smart phones, and tablets. Applications for new BARD accounts are being processed daily. For more information please go to our web site: btbl.ca.gov The California State Library is constantly monitoring this evolving situation and will make changes as necessary as new information becomes available. You may check the CSL web site for any updates at www.library.ca.gov/covid-19 . Thank you for your patience and understanding. BTBL ``Staff

Braille and Talking Book Library, California State Library Services Available, Facilities Closed to the Public As of Monday, March 16, 2020, in response to recommendations made by the California Department of Public Health and as a precaution to help limit the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19), in-person services are temporarily suspended and all State Library locations, including the BTBL 900 N Street location, are closed to the public. Braille and Talking Book circulation, ...Telephone and email reference services are still available, and requests may be submitted via [email protected] or 800-952-5666 Monday through Friday, 9:30AM to 4:00 PM. The State Library is constantly monitoring this evolving situation and will make changes as necessary as new information becomes available. You may routinely check the CSL web site for any updates at www.library.ca.gov . Thank you for your patience and understanding. See more

LightHouse for the Blind Hiring Fair offering paid and volunteer opportunities to work at Enchanted Hills Camp for the Blind in Napa. The date is Saturday, March 14, 2020. For more information: https://mailchi.mp/lighthouse-sf/40919-895173?e=7f7f1f8df7

In celebration of Black History Month, here are some newer fiction and nonfiction offerings from the library. You can order books from your Reader Advisor or download them now from BARD (nlsbard.loc.gov). Nonfiction Black is the Body Stories from My Grandmother's Time, My Mother's Time, and Mine by Emily Bernard DB 93615 Thirteen essays exploring black women's experiences in America. In "Scar Tissue," Bernard writes about being one of seven victims of an unprovoked mass...Continue reading

January is National Braille Literacy Month! The National Federation for the Blind (NFB) estimates that only 10% of students who are blind learn braille to the p...oint of literacy. Their goal is to get more visually impaired students to learn braille at a young age. Want to learn more about braille? Visit our Braille and Talking Book Library at 900 N Street Sacramento, CA 95814, or visit their webpage here: https://www.library.ca.gov/btbl/ See more